Start a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Franchise in 2024

2024 Franchise 500 Rank: #447 Not ranked last year

Initial investment: $267K - $825K

Units as of 2024: 148 10% over 3 years

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory is an internationally recognized manufacturer and retailer of fudges, self-serve yogurt, and gourmet chocolate. The company has a 53,000 square foot factory located in southwestern Colorado on the slopes of the Rocky Mountains.

An extensive line of more than 300 types of premium chocolate and other confectionery products are crafted and supplied to franchisees by a fleet of refrigerated trucks. The company, which was founded in 1981 and began franchising the following year, currently has more than 200 locations around the world. Every year, their factory churns out more than 1.3 million kilograms of gourmet chocolate.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has ranked in Entrepreneur’s Franchise 500 many times over the years. This ranking is based on an evaluation of more than 150 data points in the areas of costs and fees, size and growth, franchisee support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability.

Why You May Want to Start a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Franchise

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has grown to become a well-received franchise opportunity in the country. Customers can find stores in high-traffic areas that include airport terminals, resorts, casinos, street fronts, and malls. This strategic location choice is to leverage the increased foot traffic in these locations around the U.S. and Canada.

Since its inception, Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has built and maintained a reputation for gourmet chocolates and friendly customer service. This has enabled the company to build a loyal customer base among chocolate lovers.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory values its franchisees highly and considers them to be the backbone of the franchise. An ideal franchisee has previous business knowledge with a passion for serving delicious treats.

What Might Make Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory a Good Choice?

Chocolate is typically thought to be a winning retail item, with a huge demand for premium chocolate and yogurt products worldwide. The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory franchise offers a unique opportunity for franchisees to enjoy what they do while serving their local community.

To become a franchisee with Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, you need to have a minimum working capital and net worth, both of which will be set by Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory during the franchise process. You will also need to pay a franchise fee and be prepared for other startup costs.

When you begin to show an interest in opening a franchise with Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, it would be wise to consult with a financial planner and an attorney to ensure you can move forward with your various investments.

How Do You Start a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Franchise?

As you research the steps to become a franchisee with Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, make sure you take time to explore the opportunity. Research the brand and your local area to see if a franchise would do well in your community.

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory may provide support to franchisees as they begin their franchising journey. Franchisees may receive support with choosing site location, design, and building. Franchisees may also attend at least two months of training at corporate headquarters, frequenting what is lovingly called Chocolate University before the grand opening of their franchise location.

Company Overview

About Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory

Industry	Food
Related Categories	Candy, Desserts
Founded	1981
Parent Company	Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory Inc.
Leadership	Jeff Geygan, Interim CEO
Corporate Address	265 Turner Dr. Durango, CO 81303
Social	Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok

Business Overview

Franchising Since	1982 (42 years)
# of employees at HQ	150
Where seeking	This company is offering new franchises throughout the US. This company is offering new franchises worldwide.
# of Units	148 (as of 2024)

Information for Franchisees

Here's what you need to know if you're interested in opening a Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory franchise.

Financial Requirements & Ongoing Fees

Here's what you can expect to spend to start the business and what ongoing fees the franchisor charges throughout the life of the business.

Initial Franchise Fee Definition: The initial fee paid to a franchisor to join their system What you need to know: Found in Item 5 of the FDD, this may be a flat fee, or may vary based on territory size, experience, or other factors.The franchise fee is an up-front (one-time) cost that a new franchisee pays to the franchisor. This fee is usually due at the signing of the franchise agreement and covers the right to use the franchisor's trademarks, name, and related business systems.	$35,000
Initial Investment Definition: The total amount necessary to begin operation of the franchise What you need to know: The initial investment includes the franchise fee, along with other startup expenses such as real estate, equipment, supplies, business licenses, and working capital. This is outlined in a chart in Item 7 of the FDD, showing a range of possible costs from low to high.	$267,087 - $824,888
Net Worth Requirement Definition: The minimum net worth you must have in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company What you need to know: Net worth is the value of a person's assets minus liabilities. Assets include cash, stocks, retirement accounts, and real estate. Liabilities include items like mortgages, car payments, and credit card debt.	$250,000
Cash Requirement Definition: The minimum liquid capital you must have available in order to qualify to become a franchisee of this company.	$100,000
Veteran Incentives Definition: A discount or other incentive offered to military veterans who buy a franchise with this company.	$10,000 off franchise fee
Royalty Fee Definition: A ongoing fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis. What you need to know: Most franchisors require franchisees to pay an ongoing royalty fee, which is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD. This fee is typically a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales, but may also be a flat weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	4%-6%
Ad Royalty Fee Definition: An going fee paid to the franchisor on a regular basis to support advertising or marketing efforts. What you need to know: This may also be called advertising fee, marketing fee, brand fund fee, and more, but the basic purpose is the same-- to support promotion of the brand systemwide. As with the royalty fee, it is detailed in Item 6 of the FDD, and can be a percentage of weekly or monthly gross sales or a weekly, monthly, or annual fee.	1%-3%
Term of Agreement Definition: The length of time your franchise agreement will last. What you need to know: Franchise terms are typically anywhere from 5 to 20 years in length, but are sometimes instead dependent on factors such as the term of your lease. Once your term is up, you may have the option to renew your agreement, typically for a smaller fee than the original franchise fee.	10 years
Is franchise term renewable?	Yes

Financing Options

Some franchisors offer in-house financing, while others have relationships with third-party financing sources to which they refer qualified franchisees.

In-House Financing	Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory offers in-house financing to cover the following: accounts receivable
Third Party Financing	Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory has relationships with third-party sources which offer financing to cover the following: franchise fee

Training & Support Offered

Franchisors offer initial training programs and a variety of ongoing support options to help franchisees run their businesses.

On-The-Job Training	25.5 hours
Classroom Training	19 hours
Ongoing Support	Purchasing Co-ops Newsletter Meetings & Conventions Toll-Free Line Grand Opening Online Support Security & Safety Procedures Lease Negotiation Field Operations Site Selection Proprietary Software Franchisee Intranet Platform
Marketing Support	Co-op Advertising Ad Templates Regional Advertising Social Media SEO Website Development Email Marketing Loyalty Program/App

Operations

Additional details about running this franchise.

Is absentee ownership allowed?	Yes
Can this franchise be run from home/mobile unit? Definition: The business can be run from your home and/or a vehicle, and it is not necessary to have a retail facility, office space, or warehouse.	No
Can this franchise be run part time? Definition: This business can be run by the owner on a part-time basis (less than 40 hours per week) and/or as a side business; it is not necessary for the business to be open/run full-time.	No
# of employees required to run	2-4
Are exclusive territories available? Definition: An exclusive territory is a fixed area in which you are given the right to operate and in which no other units of the same franchise may be opened. What you need to know: Territory size may be based on factors such as radius, population size, zip codes, and more. Details can be found in Item 12 of the FDD.	Yes